Category: Recipes

I simply seasoned some salmon fillets with Montego’s Special Seasoning, pan seared them and garnished with slices of lemon. It was simply awesome.

Ingredients

• 4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 slices lemon
• 1 (1 ounce) package Montego’s Special Seasoning

Directions

1. In a large bowl, coat the salmon with the olive oil and pour in half the package of Montego’s Special Seasoning. Mix until the fillets are all coated, then cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Preheat a large heavy skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes.
3. Place the salmon in the skillet and increase the heat to high. Cook for 3 minutes, sprinkling more Montego’s Special Seasoning on top of the fillets.
4. Turn the salmon over and cook for 5 minutes, or until browned. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
5. Garnish with the lemon slices.

Who doesn’t love a good soft taco? Well, I most definitely do, so you know I was going to put together something special. If you don’t want to use pork, feel free to use chicken in its place.

This is a dish that’s surprisingly light on the stomach, with just enough sweet and spice to make it nice.

Ingredients

Mango salsa

• 1 cup diced mango
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tomato, diced

Tacos

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into small cubes
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (1 ounce) package Montego’s Special Seasoning
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

Directions

1. Make the salsa: combine the mango, shallots, cilantro, lime juice and tomato in a medium bowl and stir until well blended. Cover and chill.
2. In a bowl, mix the cubed pork tenderloin with half the package of Montego’s Special Seasoning and 1 tablespoon of the canola oil. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add the pork and cook for 4 minutes, or until it loses its pink color, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rest of the Montego’s Special Seasoning and the cumin.
5. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 10 more minutes, or until the liquid is nearly evaporated.
6. Warm the tortillas according to the package directions. Serve the pork with the tortillas, mango salsa and toppings.

Serve with

• Sour cream
• Cheddar cheese

Watch it come together

My inspiration for this recipe was the friends I watch sports with through the year. Most of the time I find myself cooking — and not complaining. So one Super Bowl I decided it was time to make Montego’s Special Seasoning nachos, and that’s what I was going to do.

I knew I had to make it simple and quick, but oh so delicious. Once I came up with the final dish, everyone who tried it said, “that’s it.”

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 green onions, sliced, white parts and tops separated
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 whole chicken breast, cooked and shredded, or 1 pound ground beef, cooked
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/2 (12 ounce) package tortilla chips
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend
• 1/2 large tomato, diced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 (1 ounce) package Montego’s Special Seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the garlic and the white parts of the green onions in the canola oil until tender.
3. Mix in the shredded chicken or cooked ground beef, then add the cumin and Montego’s Special Seasoning. Toss until well coated.
4. Arrange the tortilla chips on a large baking sheet and spoon the meat mixture over them. Top with the cheese blend and tomato.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the green onion tops before serving.

Serve with

• Sour cream
• Green onion
• Jalapeño
• Salsa

My coworker was the inspiration for this recipe. She and her husband are dedicated supporters of my special seasoning. One day she was telling me how the night before they had made some chili with it. I was thinking she added it to another chili seasoning pack. I was wrong — she said she used just the 1 ounce pack of special seasoning.

That got me creating. I knew I needed to make a chili that was easy and quick, but respected by the chili masters of the world. Once I created the final dish I let my biggest critics give me their opinion, and everyone said, “that’s it.” So here you go. Oh, and the ketchup? That was my son’s idea — and it’s what got the “that’s it” approval.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chuck or ground turkey
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 (14 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 (1 ounce) packages Montego’s Special Seasoning — add another pack for extra spice
• 1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup water
• Oil for sautéing

Directions

1. Cook the ground meat. Midway through, mix in half of one package of Montego’s Special Seasoning and the 2 tablespoons of chili powder. If the grease from the meat is not your thing, drain it before adding the seasoning.
2. Dice the onion and the pepper. In your choice of oil, start to caramelize the onion, adding the pepper midway through. Once the onion has caramelized, stir in the other half of the package of Montego’s Special Seasoning, then add the onion and pepper to your ground meat.
3. Stir it all together and turn the heat to medium (high if you are in a rush). Add the kidney beans and stir them through the meat so the two come together in a loving way.
4. Add the can of stewed tomatoes and stir it completely through the chili. Let the tomatoes get to know the dish, then add the last 1 ounce package of Montego’s Special Seasoning.
5. Add the water and stir all the way through. If you like your chili thick, make a thickening and add it now.
6. Take a test taste. When it is to your liking, cover and simmer for 1–2 hours so it comes together in a melody of excitement for your taste buds. Check now and then to make sure it’s not too high and boiling away.
7. Bowl it up, top it to your liking and enjoy.

Watch it come together